General policy statement

"This Bill amends the Building Act 2004 (the Building Act), and proposes 2 new sets of powers to improve the system for managing buildings after an emergency and to provide for investigating building failures.

Managing buildings after an emergency

This Bill proposes new powers that aim to address risks to people and property from buildings during and after an emergency. The proposed amendments seek to create a system that is clear, has proportionate impacts on personal and property rights, and ensures that heritage values are appropriately recognised. ...

"The Bill introduces into the Building Act an end-to-end process for managing buildings from response to recovery following an emergency.

The amendments in the Bill—

provide powers to territorial authorities (and where a state of emergency or transition period is in force, the relevant civil defence emergency management person) to manage buildings during and after an emergency event, including—

inspecting and placing notices on buildings:

evacuating and restricting entry to buildings:

...

demolishing or carrying out works to buildings that pose a risk of injury or death (including through impacts to critical infrastructure) or a risk of damage or disruption to neighbouring buildings, critical infrastructure, and public thoroughfares:

requiring building owners to remove or reduce risks posed by their building, on a case-by-case basis:

provide that the Minister for Building and Construction can choose to take direct action and make decisions to manage buildings, when warranted by the scale and impacts of an emergency event: ...

...

provide that the carrying out of works on certain heritage buildings (Category 1 or wāhi tūpuna on the New Zealand Heritage List or buildings on the National Historic Landmarks/Ngā Manawhenua o Aotearoa me ōna Kōrero Tūturu list) that pose a risk of injury or death is a ministerial decision and require consultation with Heritage New Zealand for works on other heritage buildings:

(Hon) Grant Robertson MP (Labour Party)Finance Minister, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage(Grant Robertson has previously held the role of Labour Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage and thus as Finance Minister will have an understanding of issues related to Heritage.)

Chlöe Swarbrick MP (Green Party)Green Party Spokesperson Arts Culture and HeritageThe Greens are a support party for the current Governement and as such have a Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage.

(Hon) Grant Robertson MP (Labour Party)Finance Minister, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage(Grant Robertson has previously held the role of Labour Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage and thus as Finance Minister will have an understanding of issues related to Heritage.)

Chlöe Swarbrick MP (Green Party)Green Party Spokesperson Arts Culture and HeritageThe Greens are a support party for the current Governement and as such have a Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage.

Dr. Ian Lochhead has generously provided us with a copy of his "Notes for the Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee", submitted in support of the “PROTECT OUR REMAINING HERITAGE: STOP THE DESTRUCTION” Petition. (more…)

Dr. Lynne Lochhead has generously provided us with a copy of her “Economic reasons for saving heritage (listed and unlisted)” note, submitted to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee, in support of the “PROTECT OUR REMAINING HERITAGE: STOP THE DESTRUCTION” Petition. (more…)